Judge objects to lawyer’s blue turban

Khaira had appeared before Justice Narang to argue a civil appeal in the case of Vijay K. Sood vs Municipal Corporation, Patiala.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Khaira said that he tried to tell the court that he had been ‘‘wearing a blue turban for the last 40 years of his practice and that the colour had never been objected to in the history of Indian judiciary but in vain. Justice Narang said that I could not be recognised as counsel for the appellant on account of my turban.’’

Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Association president and former Haryana Advocate General Hawa Singh Hooda said that although the dress code for lawyers is laid out under the Bar Council of India rules, ‘‘lawyers generally wear all colours of turbans.’’

He promised to ‘‘take up the matter tomorrow after seeing the order.’’

Senior Advocate R.S. Ghai and Punjab and Haryana High Court Bar Council secretary C.M. Munjal said that a white turban was what was normally prescribed for lawyers.

However, Senior Advocate Gurdarshan Singh Grewal said a white turban was nowhere mentioned in the dress code for lawyers.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court’s rule book for advocates only states that the lawyers’ dress should be ‘‘sober and dignified’’.

It allows a black buttoned-up coat, chapkan, achkan, black sherwani as also a black open-breasted coat, white shirt, white collar, white bands with white gowns. Interestingly, there is no reference to the turban.

Khaira said that some of the prominent lawyers who used to sport blue turbans included former Advocates General Gurdarshan Singh Grewal and Ajit Singh Sarhadi.